Cold cathode discharge type display device

ABSTRACT

In a cold cathode discharge type display device wherein a cathode substrate, a starting electrode substrate and an anode substrate are laminated between upper and lower insulative substrates, the cathode substrate, the starting electrode substrate and the anode substrate are provided with aligned perforations acting as discharge cells, there is provided a deionization gap contiguous with the discharge cells.

United States Patent 1191 Sasaki et al.

[ Aug. 12, 1975 COLD CATHODE DISCHARGE TYPE I DISPLAY DEVICE [56]References Cited [75] Inventors: Rentaro Sasaki; Akinori Watanabe, UNITESTATES PATENTS th of Ta a Mamoru ga 3,600,626 8/1971 Kupsky 313/220Tachikawa; Tatsuo Ogasawara, 3,766,420 10/1973 Ogle et a1. 313/188Tokyo, all of Japan 1 Primary Examiner-Alfred L. Brody [73] Asslgnees' nAssistant Examiner-Darwin R. Hostetter both 0f Tokyo Japan Attorney,Agent, or Firm-Charles E. Pfund, Esq.

[22] Filed: Oct. 26, 1973 57 ABSTRACT [21] Appl. No 0 In a cold cathodedischarge type display device wherein a cathode substrate, a startingelectrode substrate and an anode substrate are laminated between [30]Forelgn Application Prmnty Data upper and lower insulative substrates,the cathode NOV. 1, l Substrate e starting electrode substrate and theanode substrate are provided with aligned perforations 2? 215 acting asdischarge cells, there is provided a deioniza- 58} F'ield 220 tion gapcontiguous with the discharge cells.

313/1095 2 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures 1 t 1.oropprmmopmio.oroivioioprormo.0:0:orororororozox:ozozozo: 9

PATENTEDAUBIZIBYS 3,899,707

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COLD CATHODE DISCHARGE TYPE DISPLAY DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThis invention relates to a cold cathode discharge type display devicewherein a definite space is provided above or beneath the anode orcathode electrode thereby enabling quick switching of the display of thedesired patterns.

In the conventional cold cathode discharge type display devicecomprising a lamination of an anode electrode, a cathode electrode,spacers, a starting electrode and upper and lower substrates, display ofa desired pattern is made by selectively operating discharge cellsprovided through the lamination. Since cations and secondary electronsformed in the discharge cell are extinguished by the upper and lowersubstrates it takes a certain time between the initiation of thedischarge in the discharge cells which are selected on the time divisionbasis and the completion of the display of a desired multi-digitpattern. For this reason, in order to display the patterns withoutgiving the feeling of flickering to the eyes, it is necessary toincrease the frequency of the time division signals for operating thedisplay device. Furthermore, when the spacing between respectivedischarge cells is smaller than the spacing between the anode andcathode electrodes, adjacent discharge cells interfere with each otherthereby causing discharge of not selected discharge cells.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of this invention to provide animproved cold cathode discharge type display device capable ofeliminating the disadvantages described above.

Another object of this invention is to provide and improved cold cathodedischarge type display device provided with a plurality of dischargecells which are operated selectively and sequentially and means fordiffusing secondary electrons and cations remaining in a previouslyoperated discharge cell thus displaying desired patterns at a highspeed.

According to this invention, these and further objects can beaccomplished by providing a cold cathode discharge type display deviceof the class wherein a cathode substrate, a starting electrodesubstrate, and an anode substrate are laminated between upper and lowerinsulative substrates, the cathode substrate, the starting electrodesubstrate and the anode substrate are provided with a plurality of setsof aligned perforations which are arranged in a plurality of matrixes,and the perforations act as discharge cells, characterized by adeionization gap contiguous with the discharge cells.

Preferably, the deionization gap is provided between the upperinsulative substrate and the cathode substrate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTThe cold cathode discharge type display device illustrated in FIG. 1comprises a upper transparent insulative substrate 1 made of glass, forexample, a cathode substrate 2 spaced a predetermined distance from theinsulative substrate 1 and provided with a plurality of perforations 3which are arranged in a plurality of similar matrixes, the surface ofthe cathode substrate 2 confronting the insulative substrate 1 and theinner walls of perforations 3 being plated with metal to form a cathodeelectrode, spacers 4 and 5 each provided with perforations 3 which arearranged in a plurality of ma- .trixes, a starting electrode substrate 6also provided with matrixes of perforations 3, the inner walls thereofbeing plated to form starting electrodes, an anode substrate 7 formedwith a resistor 8 on the upper surface,

the surface of the resistors confronting the starting electrodesubstrate 6 being plated with nickel, for example, to form anodeelectrodes, whereas the lower surface of the resistors 8 being coveredby a thin sheet of an electric conductor 9 made of 42-6 alloy, forexample, and a lower insulative substrate 10.

Various substrates are laminated as shown in FIG. 1 and the periphery ofthe lamination is sealed in an air tight fashion by means of fusedglass. After evacuating the sealed assembly, inert gas such as neon orargon is sealed in the assembly to complete the cold cathode dischargetype display device of this invention.

FIG. 2 shows a sectional view of the novel cold cathode discharge typedisplay device in which 11 shows the cathode electrode, 12 startingelectrodes, 13 anode electrodes, and 14 a deionization space or gapbetween the transparent insulative substrate 1 and the cathode electrode1 1. Each set of aligned perforations 3 constitutes a discharge cell.

In operation, when a voltage higher than the discharge initiationvoltage is impressed across the anode electrode 13 and the startingelectrode 12 of a discharge cell selected by a matrix driving circuit,not shown, an electric discharge will be established between the anodeelectrode 13 and the starting electrode 12 of the selected dischargecell. After a predetermined interval the anode voltage is decreased to avalue somewhat higher than the discharge sustaining voltage between theanode electrode 13 and the cathode electrode 11 thus shifting thedischarge to between the anode and cathode electrodes 13 and 11respectively. In this manner, the selected discharge cell is caused toluminesce. By selecting respective discharge cells on the time divisionbasis, a desired pattern is displayed. As the selection time of onedischarge cell elapses, the discharge thereof terminates but in theperforations 3 of that cell, secondary electrons and cations stillremain. Although, a half selection voltage is impressed upon thedischarge cell previously selected at the time of selecting the nextdischarge cell, in the novel cold cathode discharge type display deviceof this invention, the secondary electrons and anions remaining in thepreviously selected discharge cell are extinguished by diffusing intothe deionization space 14 between the insulative substrate 1 and thecathode electrode 11 so that previously selected discharge cell wouldnot be caused to discharge again by the half selection voltage.

In this manner, the deionization space or gap 14 prevents anyinterference between adjacent discharge cells so that it is possible toincrease the frequency of the time division selection and tocontinuously display patterns at high speeds.

4 trode substrate and anode substrate are provided-with a plurality ofsets of aligned perforations which are arranged in a plurality ofmatrixes, and said perforations act as discharge cells, the improvementwhich comprises spacing means for one of said insulative substrates forforming a deionization gap area over said matrixes contiguous with saiddischarge cells.

2. The display device according to claim 1 wherein said upper insulativesubstrate is transparent and said deionization gap is provided betweensaid upper insulative substrate and said cathode substrate.

1. In a cold cathode discharge type display device of the type wherein acathode substrate, a starting electrode substrate and an anode substrateare laminated between upper and lower insulaTive substrates with saidstarting electrode substrate between said cathode and anode substrates,said cathode substrate, starting electrode substrate and anode substrateare provided with a plurality of sets of aligned perforations which arearranged in a plurality of matrixes, and said perforations act asdischarge cells, the improvement which comprises spacing means for oneof said insulative substrates for forming a deionization gap area oversaid matrixes contiguous with said discharge cells.
 2. The displaydevice according to claim 1 wherein said upper insulative substrate istransparent and said deionization gap is provided between said upperinsulative substrate and said cathode substrate.